AN: Everyone knows I don't own Star Wars and dear GOD, the ending of the Mandalorian episode "The Convert" went into extreme WTF territory. Leia would sure as hell never approve the use of those machines and you'd THINK other New Republic leaders wouldn't either. So yeah, this fic is kind of a response to that.

"Keep Fighting"

By EsmeAmelia

"FUCK!"

As Leia stormed into the living room, both Han and three-year-old Ben jumped from the couch where they had been watching the holovid. "Mommy said a bad word!" Ben exclaimed, pointing his little finger up in an accusing manner.

"Yeah," said Han, raising an eyebrow at his wife, who was looking far more disheveled than he was used to seeing her - several stray hairs were sticking out of her buns and her eye makeup was smeared as if she'd been crying. "Leia, what happened?"

Leia slumped onto the sofa, gripping the arm in anger. "We fought a war to be FREE from the Empire, not BECOME it!" she shouted.

"What?" Han exclaimed. "Leia, what the hell's goin' on?"

"Daddy said a bad word too!" Now Ben pointed up at Han as if it were a game to scold his parents' misbehavior.

That finally seemed to alert Leia to her family's presence. "Ben, sweetie, why don't you go play in your room while Daddy and I have a grownup discussion?"

Ben stuck out his lips, looking rather cute while doing so. "Why?"

"Because something bad happened at Mommy's work today, Ben," said Leia. "Mommy wants to talk about it with Daddy."

Now Ben was frowning. "Mommy sad?"

Leia let out a long, deflated sigh. "Yes, Mommy's sad."

With that, Ben jumped into her lap and threw his arms around her neck. After a moment, she wrapped her own arms around her son, squeezing him close to her. "I want you to grow up in a better galaxy, sweetheart," she whispered. "I didn't spend my whole life fighting against the Empire for this to happen."

Han gulped as he sat next to his wife, reaching over and gently brushing a strand of hair back into her bun. "What did happen, hon?"

Leia took in a long inhale, her face trembling as if she thought she might cry. "The senate approved the use of mind flayers."

Han's hand suddenly dropped, his stomach jumping. "What?" His stare flitted from Leia to Ben and back again. "What?"

"Mind flayers," Leia repeated in a low growl, and even though Ben had no way of knowing what she was talking about, he reached up and touched his mother's cheek.

"Mind flayers," said Han. "Just to be clear, we're talkin' about those machines the Empire used to wipe prisoners' minds?"

"Like droids," Leia growled. "Apparently the New Republic confiscated some and now they've been approved for use, particularly for the former Imperials in the amnesty program." She ground her teeth. "Oh sure, they say that on a 'low frequency,' the machines are safe and only have a 'relaxing' effect, but how the hell can they be so sure of that? And what about long-term effects?"

Han swallowed. "Well, surely they're gonna at least modify the machines so they can only be used at low frequency, right?" As soon as the question was out of his mouth, the look on Leia's face told him the answer.

"That would be expensive," she snarled. "The senate didn't think it was necessary to spend that extra money when the machines already have a low frequency setting." Her teeth ground again, so loud that Han wondered if she'd chip away her enamel. "You should have heard the applause. People were acting like this was some great new hope for former Imperials to start a new life. Just you wait, it's probably only a matter of time before they decide that raising the frequency is the best thing for former Imperials and prisoners and . . ." She took in several quick breaths to calm herself, after which Ben snuggled against her chest and she kissed his head.

What could Han say to that? Could he reassure her that the New Republic would never approve of using the higher frequency when they'd already approved of using the machines in the first place - and with the high frequency setting intact, no less?

Now Leia was staring into space, as if she'd retreated into her mind. "When Vader tortured me with the mind probe . . ." she muttered, ". . . that's something I wouldn't wish on anyone. Not even the Emperor himself." She blinked rapidly, trying to keep tears in. "This wasn't what we fought for!"

Ben reached up and brushed his little hands over his mother's eyes. "Don't cry, Mommy."

Leia sniffled. "I don't want you to grow up afraid, Ben. I don't want you to grow up with your mind in danger."

Ben frowned, his lips sticking out, as if he understood more of what his mother was saying than one would expect from a three-year-old. Maybe the Force was urging him along in a way he could understand. "Mommy gotta fight!" he finally said.

"Yeah," said Han, putting his hand on his wife's shoulder. "Ben's right. "You've been a fighter your whole life - you ain't gonna let this stop you."

Leia stared into her husband's eyes, still blinking rapidly. "Is it even worth it when something like this happens, when your own allies vote for it?" She let out a long sigh, kissing Ben's head again. "This must be how my mother felt when Palpatine declared himself Emperor. You know, my parents didn't tell me who my real mother was flat-out, but they told me a lot about their friend Padme and how she fought for democracy to the very end. Father told me that when Palpatine declared himself Emperor, she said 'So this is how liberty dies: with thunderous applause.' That's how it was today."

"It ain't dead yet," said Han. "It ain't gonna die so long as people like you keep fighting."

"Yeah!" Ben exclaimed, sticking up his little fist as if rallying his mother for battle. "Mommy fight!"

Leia ruffled Ben's hair, but her eyes were still glistening. "I'm starting to wonder if fighting in the war was easier than this. Back then, we were all united with a common goal, but now everyone has their own agendas. If our New Republic that we fought so hard for can approve something like this, then what else will it approve? How long before we become the Empire?" Again she ruffled Ben's hair. "What kind of galaxy are we building for Ben and his generation?"

"You're gonna fight," Han repeated, though his voice wavered as he did so. "I'll help you. We can build up a protest against this." He gripped her hand, forcing a grin at her. "I'm sure Luke'll help too, and Lando, we can all fight this together like we fought the Empire."

Leia managed a small smile back, though her eyes were still hesitant. "The political field isn't like the battlefield. Change can take years, and even if we do manage to get the machines banned, what about the people they use the machines on in the meantime?"

Han had no answer. Though he repeated "Keep fighting," it felt like a useless slogan from a political campaign that did nothing to stop her questions from overtaking his mind.

What kind of future were they creating?

THE END